This is What Best Friends Do
by plethorah
Summary: Prompt response for inkblotsonpaper. It spawned into this behemoth... Jane and Maura do stuff... together... as friends.


The familiar 'tap-tap-tap' of Maura's heels stirred Jane from her stupor, and she turned to the doorway to grin as her best friend made her way over.

"Tell me you're here to save me, Maura," Jane moaned, leaning back in her chair haphazardly, "We haven't had a good case all week."Maura's hazel eyes met Jane's brown eyes, and Jane was struck by the amount of worry in them, "Whoa, what's wrong Maura?"

Maura bit her bottom lip, "I was wondering if I could impose on you for a while this afternoon?"

Jane nodded, and sat forward in her chair, "Is it Hope? Or my Mother? God, I'm sorry, whatever she-"

"No," Maura shook her head, and then gestured towards the door, "Can you come downstairs with me?"

"Sure," Jane stood up and grabbed her jacket in one smooth move, before grabbing her keys and phone, "Korsak, I'll be in the morgue-"

"We may be leaving the station, Sergeant Korsak," Maura announced over her, before grabbing Jane's arm to steer her towards the elevator, "I need Jane's help with something personal."

"Sure," Korsak called behind them, before cracking open another cat video, "We're not even next on call today, so I'll cover for you, Rizzoli."

The ride down to the morgue was quiet, Jane could tell something was worrying her best friend but figured Maura needed a minute to gather her thoughts. They got down to the morgue, and Jane could see another medical examiner dictating into a microphone, clearly doing an autopsy. Following Maura into her office, she did a double take as Maura kicked off her heels, opened her closet, and slid into a pair of black flats.

When Maura also reached into a dark blue bag hanging off the closet door and pulled out an elastic to put her hair up, Jane couldn't wait any longer, "Maura, what are you doing?"

"Oh," Maura stopped, and glanced over at Jane, "Well you remember how I mentor those students down at William McKinley High School?"

"Of course I remember, I tried to talk you out of it for three days." Jane rolled her eyes and sat down, thrusting her legs out in front of her and crossing her armsrather immaturely, "You don't really belong in that part of the city."

Now it was Maura's turn to roll her eyes, "Yes, Jane, I know what you think about me. Well, they called me today and there was some sort of- altercation- between one of my mentorees."

"Why would they call you?" Jane frowned, "And not the kid's mother, or the police?"

"Well," Maura had the decency to look a little embarrassed, "His college scholarship will be revoked if he gets in trouble."

"What does that have to do with you?" Jane demanded, still wondering where _she_ came into the picture. "Or with me."

"Well," Maura finished pulling her hair back, and stepped away from the closet, "The last time Durrell came to shadow me, he seemed to really respect you, and I'm hoping you won't mind coming down to the school with me this time."

"This time?" Jane shot up out of her chair, William McKinley was one of the worst schools in the city, Maura shouldn't be walking around there- "You go down there yourself?"

Maura rolled her eyes again, and rummaged through her purse, pulling out a small bag, "Yes, Jane, contrary to what you seem to believe I've been going to McKinley for three years now. It's fine, I can take care of myself."

She took her necklace off and placed it into the smaller bag, then took of her ring and slipped that in as well, "I made the mistake of wearing all my jewelry and my heels in there once."

Jane stepped closer to her, and snagged Maura's jacket out of the closet to hold up behind the shorter woman, "What happened?"

Maura paused for a moment, and again looked slightly embarrassed, "Apparently there were two fights, and the Principal was thinking about asking me not to come to school grounds anymore."

She slid her arms into her coat, and then followed Jane out the door, "So now I look like a slightly well dressed teacher."

Jane pushed the up button, and glanced over at Maura who gestured down at herself casually. She took in Maura's pony tail, the flats- without her heels Maura was a good four or five inches shorter. Maura looked decidedly less dressy, but still… Jane tilted her head, trying to imagine not knowing how much the dress and jacket cost.

"Best dressed teacher I ever saw."

They pulled up nearly fifteen minutes later, to one of the ugliest schools Jane had ever seen. The bricks were painted a tanish-beige color, and the whole building looked like it had been built in the 1960's and never updated. Most of the students were already gone, although a scattering of students made their way out of the doors during the few minutes Jane was watching. She glanced over at Maura, who was looking for a spot on the street to pull into.

"How'd you get hooked up with these kids again, Maura? That league thing?" Jane watched as Maura's luck held out and a car pulled out just in front of them and

Maura pulled in, "The mensa thing right?"

Maura nodded, and hit the power button on the Prius, then dug out a I.D. tag with the letters M.M.A on it in big bold red letters. "Yes, I'm part of their MMA team."

Jane leaned over and tapped the I.D., "Maur', do you know what MMA stands for?"

Maura nodded, smiling at Jane, "Of course, Mensa Mentoring Adult!"

Jane sat in silence for a moment as Maura exited the vehicle, and found a measure of pride in the way she _didn't_ grit her teeth, "Maura, besides that? Do you know what 'M M A' stands for?"

Jane slid her hand under Maura's right elbow as they crossed the street towards the school, "MMA is a common acronym for a fighting style."

Maura grinned up at Jane quickly, hazel eyes twinkling, "That must be why these kids leave me alone."

The principal, a staid older woman nearing her late 50's, was waiting outside the office and reached out a hand to Maura as they came in reach, "Thank you for coming down here Dr. Isles, I don't know what happened with Durrell, but thankfully Ms. Campaigno interceded before they could come to blows."

"Of course Mrs. Tasler," Maura shook her hand briskly, her bracelets jingling tinnily, "Where's Durrell?"

The principal motioned to an open door, "In the vice-principal's office, waiting for you."

There was one boy, lounging on a chair outside the main office, who looked to be about 18, and at least as tall as Jane and another boy inside the room next to the office, also about 18 and a solid 180 pounds at least. They both wore the same type of outfit, baggy jeans and dark T-shirts with white undershirts. Mrs. Taslerfollowed Jane and Maura into the office, leaving the door open behind the three of them.

Maura made her way into the office, "Durrell, what happened?"

The boy stood up and crossed his arms across his chest, "Nothin'."

Mrs. Tasler shook her head, "Durrell was yelling at another student, Wayne Roundtree, and Ms. Campaigno heard him mention your name Dr. Isles."

Durrell shook his head, "We wasn't fightin', just yellin' Dr. Isles. No reason fer you to come on down here."

Maura stepped a little closer to him, and lowered her voice, the height difference made Jane a little nervous. This kid could really hurt Maura if he tried, and of course

Maura didn't care. "Durrell, look, there is nothing wrong with discussing things like an adult-"

Jane watched as his eyes shifted to the other kid outside the room, the boy he'd been fighting with before he shook his head again, "Naw, man, we ain't done' nothin' wrong. I just got a little heated, that's all."

His eyes flicked back to the kid outside, Wayne, before Jane stepped forward. "Do you think we could talk to him alone, Mrs. Tasler? Just us two?"

The older woman frowned at them, "That's not usual protocol if it's not a learner's parent-"

Durrell rolled his eyes, "I'm eighteen Mrs. Tasler, it's ok. My Ma knows Dr. Isles too, you can call her if you want."

Mrs. Tasler nodded briskly, before stepping out of the office, "I'll go deal with Wayne then."

As the door closed, Jane narrowed her eyes and faced Durrell, "Alright, kid, spill it. What happened? Why did they call Dr. Isles down here?"

He waited for the door to shut all the way before sitting down. "You two should sit down as well, I'm sure you don't like standing in the principal's office."

Maura laughed a little nervously, "I never actually got called to the principal's office."

Both Jane and Durrell swiveled their heads in unison, "Never?"

Maura tucked her purse into the chair next to her before answering, "No, never."

Jane laughed, of course Maura'd never been in trouble while in school, then leaned against the desk, and facing Durrell, "Ok, kid, spill. What were you two arguing about?"

Durrell fidgeted in his seat, then muttered at Maura, "Promise you won't get too mad?"

Maura shook her head, "I can't promise a reaction or non-reaction to your-"

"Yeah, we promise," Jane interrupted with an exaggerated eye roll, "What were you two fighting about?"

"You remember how last month you two came to the student fair, and talked about working together and being cops and going to medical school and stuff?" He asked.

"Yes, it was a quite a lucrative experience!" Maura replied pertly, "We had so many visitors to our booth- Dawn and La'Shay were quite pleased as well. Dawn was excited to see that the ratio of females to males was much better this year."

Durrell crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes, before muttering, "They weren't there 'cause of the information you were giving out Dr. Isles."

"Why else would they be there then?" Maura cocked her head in though, "Was there a project assigned, to talk to a certain amount of people?"

Jane got a sicking feeling in her stomach as Durrell shook his head and continued. "No, they were there to talk to the hottie manning the booth."

"To Jane?" Jane glanced sharply at Maura, but filed that information away for future reference, "But they were talking… Oh… OH."

Maura started to blush, and started spinning the ring on her hand as Jane asked, "What does that have to do with the fight today, Durrell?"

His brown eyes raised to meet hers, "He overheard me talking to Dawn and La'Shay about going to the planetarium this weekend, and meeting Dr. Miaoulis and stuff. Started talking shit about Dr. Isles. He's on the baseball team with me, so he's seen her around before- he knows that she's a fancy doctor and shit."

Jane shrugged one shoulder, "And?"

"And," Durrell dragged out the word, before glancing at Maura and then back to Jane, "I couldn't just let him say that shit." He laughed abruptly, "Dawn was about to beat the crap outta him for that too."

"What'd he say about Ma- Dr. Isles?" Jane demanded, hating the idea of some punk kid talking badly about Maura.

"Well, first he tried to say some bull about me and her," Durrell glanced at Maura, who paled suddenly, "But don't worry, he won't be saying that ever again. Dawn laid it down on him, that shit wasn't cool."

"Well, thank you both for that, Durrell, what _did _he say that got you so angry?" Maura asked carefully.

"Uhm," He flicked a glance at Jane, before turning back to Maura and muttered out, "He asked if Detective Rizzoli was going to be there."

Maura shook her head, she didn't understand, "And that got you angry, why?"

"It wasn't what he was asking," Durrell explained to her, his face turning earnest, "It was just **how** he was askin'. So I explained, a little loudly, how to refer to you two."

"How?" Maura turned her face up to Jane, obviously confused, "Jane, do you-"

"What'd he say?" Jane folded her arms across her chest, nearly vibrating with anger. Some high school kid was talking crap about her best friend, and it was the kinda shit that could ruin Maura's professional life as well as the volunteer work she did.

"I- Mean-" Durrell started to evade the question.

"What. Did. He. Say?" Jane's voice dropped in timbre, and Maura turned sharply to her.

"Yo, me and Dawn dealt with him," Durrell replied quickly, and slid his hands out, palm down, "So he just started talking shit about how you and her are like, best friends and shit."

"Me and Maura?" Jane didn't bother calling her Dr. Isles, "What about us?"

"Fine." Durrell rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms again, "He wanted to know if, and I quote, 'That dyke bitch was going to be with us.'"

"What? Why would he care if he's not going?" Maura shook her head, and smoothed out her skirt, "I hadn't asked Jane yet if she was going to go-"

Jane rolled her eyes, "You never ask until the night before, Maur', and I always say yes. Plus, where else would I get to meet this Dr. Me-ow-us-" "Dr. Miaoulis," Maura and Durrell interrupted together, but Jane kept talking, "Now, lets go meet this kid who wants to talk crap about my best friend."  
Maura stood up, and moved in front of Jane, "Maybe meeting him while you're mad isn't the best idea you've ever had, Jane."

Jane leaned forward until she was standing, almost looming over Maura, who didn't look the least bit worried, "And maybe it's the best idea I've ever had. You heard Durrell, Maura- that twerp could seriously ruin your career if he started talking about you have sex with some high school kid."

Maura refused to back up, just shook her head, "No, if you're mad that's not what he needs right now."

They glared at each other in silence for almost a full minute, before Durrell coughed, and said, "Uh, I might know what's wrong though, if you want to know, Dr. Isles?"

Maura squinted her hazel eyes at Jane, then stepped back smoothly and adjusted her ring, "Fine, Durrell, perhaps you can give us some intelligence on your fellow's inappropriate actions?"

"Intel, Maura,-" She turned to Durrell who was looking at Maura with confusion in his eyes, "She means 'intel', Durrell. Why do you think he said that?"  
He tilted his head to face Jane, "I'm pretty sure he's jealous. That she comes down here and talks to me and Dawn and La'Shay- and that we get to go to see special people with her- and we got those scholarships- and he's stuck here."

He gestured expansively around the room with one arm, "I dunno if you've seen our school, but it kinda sucks. Most of the kids here, they don't care, either they hope for a scholarship somewhere, or they get jobs or they do," he coughed uncomfortably, and tossed Jane an apologetic look, "-whatever they can do to pay for shit."

"But this kid is different?" Jane asked quietly, coming from Southie she knew how the world sucked it all out of you, "What's his name, Dwayne?"

"Wayne," Durrell corrected, nodding, "Yeah, he's a year behind me and La'Shay, a junior like Dawn. We're on the baseball team together, he's hoping for a scholarship. He's not smart enough for the MMA, but he gets good grades and all."

Jane glanced at Maura, who looked so sad Jane almost reached out then and there to hug her. "I think we should meet this kid, Maura."  
Maura bit her lip and nodded, then gestured to Durrell to lead them out of the room.

The principal refused to let them talk to Wayne by themselves, since he was underage until Jane pulled out her badge, and even then made them leave the door to the office open, and lingered in the main office, in eye shot of them the whole time. Wayne was a little taller than Durrell, probably 6'1, but slightly less muscular- more scrawny. Maura sat behind the desk, while Durrell sat in the chair to the right, and Wayne sat in the chair to the left. Jane just leaned one hip back against the desk, arms crossed over her chest- carefully letting the badge attached to her belt show. The kid looked a bit nervous, and kept casting glances at her badge and then at Maura.

It only took thirty seconds before the boy burst out, "Yo, miss, I ain't done nothin' that the police can arrest me for."  
Durrell shook his head, "They ain't here to arrest you, fool. They wanna talk to you."

The younger boy leaned back in his chair, sulking a bit, "What they wanna talk to _me_ for? I ain't done nothing."  
Jane leaned forward, arms still crossed, but eyes angry, and voice low, "I want an apology from you, Wayne, before we say anything."

The kid's voice got a little higher, much to Jane's pleasure, "An apology for what?"

Jane stared at him for a moment, "Maybe I should say it like this-" She mimicked his sulky attitude, and then said in a deeper voice, "This dyke bitch wants an apology before she talks to some punk ass who thinks her sexuality is any of his business."

"Jane-" Maura put her hand on Jane's back, but Jane ignored her.

"You understand that, kid?" Jane asked sardonically, "Or would you prefer we call your Momma, and ask her what she thinks of her son calling a Homicide Detective a 'dyke bitch'."

At the sound of that, Wayne's eyes widened almost amusingly, and he started shaking his head, "No, C'mon Durrell, you ain't gonna let them do that sh-stuff are you?"  
Durrell laughed, and shrugged his shoulders casually, "Ain't much I can do there, bro, Dr. Isles, she's nice enough, but Detective Rizzoli, she like a bear. Can't get away from that."

Wayne rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth, before muttering, "Fine, Sorry."

Jane leaned forward, "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you, what did you say?"

He glared up at her, "Fine. I'm sorry."

"And you won't call some grown ass woman you don't even know, a 'dyke bitch' because you can't think of some other insult?" Jane asked leadingly.

"Yeah, yeah." Jane uncrossed her hands and put them on her hips, but stayed leaning back.

"Look, Wayne, whether or not I-" she gestured back with her left hand to Maura, "Or Dr. Isles, likes women or men, or both, or neither- It's none of your business. Not only that but Dr. Isles is here helping your friends get out of this place, without her Durrell would be just as stuck as you, and Dawn and La'Shay would be too. You saw what happened when we had to arrest her,-"

"Jane!" Maura shot up and put her hand on Jane's shoulder, but Jane ignored her, and continued on.

"- if you're on the baseball team I'm sure you saw how Durrell was effected. This work she does, _it's good work_." She leaned forward again, this time with a little more understanding in her voice and in her eyes, "And I can see why you'd want to be part of it."

He gaped up at her, she'd gone from tearing him a new one to being kind and understand in the space of a sentence. He ducked his head, feeling a bit like an asshole.

He didn't say anything, just started at the old pair of nike's he was wearing, until Maura came around the desk to stand next to Jane.

"Wayne, if you want to be a part of the trip, you can-" Maura said quietly, "I pay for everything, and-

"Yo, man, she even pays for lunch, at fancy restaurants and shit." Durrell leaned forward and whispered to Wayne, "That shit be bangin' yo."

Jane coughed to cover her laughter as Maura rolled her eyes and continued. "And if you'd like to be part of the mentoring, full time, you'll just have to sign the same agreement that Durrell and La'Shay and Dawn did."

"But I ain't smart like them." He mumbled unhappily, "I can't do that Mensa stuff they be doin'."

Maura shrugged, but he was still staring at his sneakers, "Neither can Detective Rizzoli, Wayne, but that doesn't stop me from being her friend or wanting to spend time with her. It's not your brain that makes you a good person, just like it's not my money that makes _me_ a good person."

He finally glanced up at her, his face a cross between consternation and holding onto his anger, "Yeah?"

Jane nodded, understanding luminous in her brown eyes, "Yeah, kid."

Maura elbowed her surreptitiously, and nodded seriously, "Yes, and Wayne, Detective Rizzoli is correct- if the worst insult you can come up with is to insult the way someone loves, or whom they love, then you're sorely lacking in the insult department."

Wayne looked up at them seriously, his brown eyes shining with sincerity, "I'm sorry Dr. Isles, Detective Rizzoli, what agreement do I need to sign?"

Maura smiled at him, Jane watched out of the corner of her eye as it lit up her face, "Let me get your email, and I'll send it to you tonight when I get home along with a permission slip for your mother to sign before Saturday's trip."

She handed him a piece of paper and a pen, then bit her lip and asked, "Do you, uh, need money to print it out somewhere?"

Jane was about to pull out _her_ wallet, because knowing Maura, all she had was 50's and 100's, but Durrell interrupted, "I can show him where the library is Dr. Isles, you can print for free there if it's for school, with our I.D.'s, and a permission slip is for school."

"Then I think we're done here, Durrell and Wayne, if you'd like to leave." Maura stuck her hand out to Wayne, "And, Wayne, I look forward to meeting you again, and I'll see the four of you on Saturday."

He stood up and shook her hand, while Durrell fist bumped Jane, and shook Maura's hand as well, and waited for a second as Durrell lingered in the doorway. He cleared his throat once, and put his fist out to Jane, "Yo, I'm sorry about sayin' that shit."

Jane shrugged her shoulders and shook her head to show no hard feelings, "Just remember what we said, kid, and I'll be seein' you on Saturday."

He followed Durrell out, before sticking his head back in, "There's a neither choice? Fo' real, yo?"

Jane grinned at him and nodded, "Yeah, it's called asexual, you should look it up."

He left and Jane became aware of Maura staring at her astonished. She shrugged and grinned at the shorter woman, "What? I listen-" she paused, and poked Maura's arm, "**Most** of the time."

It took them nearly an hour to get through rush hour traffic, but they finally got back to Maura's house, to find a note on the desk from Angela. Maura slipped her flats off before dropping her purse and picking up the message.

Jane sniffed the air appreciatively as Maura read the note, "What'd Ma say, Maur'? That smells amazing, did she make her lasagna? Oh man, I love Ma's lasagna."

Maura nodded, and returned the note to the desk next to her purse, then pulled her phone out and shoved it in her pocket, "Yes, she won't be here for dinner, but knew we'd been called away, it should be ready by six."

Jane leaned over and peered into the oven, mouth already watering, "What if we hadn't been home by six? Ma really needs to-"

"Oh," Maura paused on her way out of the kitchen, "I texted her, told her we were down at the school, and would be home by five thirty or six, so not to worry about us if she didn't see us at the precinct."

Jane looked at Maura, confusion plain on her face. "You texted her before we left? I don't remember seeing you- No, you texted her before you asked me! Maura!"

Maura looked a little sheepish, but smiled winsomely back at Jane, "You never say 'No' Jane, and I know you were just as bored as me."

"You guessed!" Jane stalked towards Maura, each time she said the word you, she punctuated it by jabbing a finger at the medical examiner, "Maura Isles, you- you guessed that I would agree to go with you and you hedged your bets!"

Maura smirked at her, laughter dancing in her eyes, more brown than green at the moment, "No Jane, I calculated the percentages, and acted on my hypothesis."

Maura stepped back as Jane approached her, still laughing, "Now, I'm going to go take a shower, you're know where the guest room bath is!"

Jane leapt forward, trying to grab hold of the shorter woman who dodged out of the way and left the room. She paused at the doorway, laughing a little, before trying to decide whether to check the fridge for her beer or take a shower first. Maura's voice floated down, "There's beer in the fridge if you want, I'll be done in twenty."  
Jane shook her head, Maura wouldn't be done in twenty minutes unless they got a call, and even then if she hadn't brought her phone into the bathroom, she wouldn't know. Jane shrugged, neither of them were on call tonight, so beer and wine with dinner and maybe even some catching up on TV. She was currently on a 'get Maura to watch movies she should have seen but hadn't' kick, last week had been Kill Bill (both movies, in hopes that a third might be forthcoming) as well as Pulp Fiction.

This week Maura made her promise no violent movies, so she was dipping back to her mid-twenties for Finding Nemo, Shark Tale, and one of her secret favorite movies from that time, Pieces of April. An added bonus- now she could be sure that Maura would have seen Finding Nemo when the 2nd movie eventually came out. Jane grinned to herself as she jogged up the stairs to shower, a beer, her Ma's lasagna, Maura and movies- could her life get any better?

Jane was situated on the couch, beer in hand (coasters ready) and almost finished when Maura finally made it down the stairs. Jane glanced at her watch and teased, "Took ya long enough, slow poke."

Maura was wearing what she called her "slouching clothes", black yoga pants and tee shirt underneath a zipped up exercise jacket. She smiled pleasantly at Jane before making her way to the wine fridge and perusing the vintages she had.

"Some of us actually care about our appearance Jane, even if it's just to- Ah!" She pulled out a bottle, and then a second one, "Perfect for dinner tonight."  
Jane stood up, bringing her beer with her, "Two bottle night? It _has_ been a doozy of a day, I guess. But let me tell you, Maur', Ma's lasagna is the cure for everything that ails you."

Maura grabbed two wine glasses, tilting her head to the bottle to see if Jane wanted any. At her nod, Maura smiled again, and opened the bottle and poured them both matching glasses. Jane downed her beer and swiped her arm across her mouth before tossing her bottle into the recycling.

"You wanna talk about it, Maura?" Jane asked quietly, letting Maura take the lead on whatever was bothering her. She figured it was something from the high school, but she couldn't quite figure out **what**. But she could see there was something bothering the shorter woman, and that she needed to talk about it.

"There's not much to talk about, Jane," Maura replied carefully, handing Jane the other glass.

She glanced up at Jane, and the taller woman was struck with how much sadness was in her eyes, "Just- give me some time, Jane. Maybe after dinner, ok?"

Jane nodded jerkily, and took a sip of wine to cover the need to help Maura figure everything out, "Yeah, whenever, Maur',"

Maura carried the bottle over to the table, and Jane snagged the other, her laziness winning over her inclination to not drink a second bottle on a work night.

Maura left Jane to take the head of the table, but smiled as she saw the second bottle, "Thanks for getting dinner set up, I _may _have decided to spend some extra time in the shower."

Jane rolled her eyes as she took her seat and set the bottle down on the table, "Yeah, like that doesn't happen most nights."

Maura laughed, and cut into the lasagna, serving Jane first and then herself a slightly smaller portion, "I don't supposed I could hope your mother made this vegetarian, could I?"

Jane spoke around the mouthful of lasagna, "Ma- vegetarian? Never."

Maura started cutting her food carefully, "And what does it say of me, that I can understand what you just said, even though your mouth was full?"  
Jane swallowed and laughed, then took a sip of wine, "You've been hanging around me too much!"

The conversation degraded into discussing what movies Jane brought over, 'Is there some aquatic theme going on tonight, Jane?' until the second bottle was halfway gone. Neither woman was exactly sober, both of them could hold their alcohol fairly well- but if Jane was any judge Maura was fairly close to toasted. Maura made a move to start clearing the table but Jane put up a hand to stop her, saying she'd clear the table.  
Maura leaned back in her chair and grinned at Jane, slightly looser than normal, "Well thank you, Jane."

"Nah, it's fine, Maur'," Jane watched as Maura took another sip of wine, "Ready to watch Finding Nemo?"

Maura turned in her chair to watch Jane finishing the dishes before standing up slowly, carefully, "I'm still not sure what kind of ethnographic research watching 'Finding Nemo' would fall under, Jane. Perhaps we could-"

Jane wiped her hands dry, and came around the counter to grab their wine glasses off the table and the bottle before turning to Maura and quoting, "Duddde."  
Maura just stared at her as Jane replied to herself, "Duuude."

"Are you feeling ok, Jane? I know we had a little more than normal to drink-"

Jane laughed and slid her hand along Maura's arm until she reached her elbow, and nudged her towards the couch, "No, Maur', you're about to meet Crush and Squirt, the cutest tortoises on the far side of the equator. "

Jane pulled up the menu on the television, and settled into the couch on her side, even as Maura pointed to the screen and laughed, "Jane, that's not a tortoise! That's a sea turtle."

"Whatever," Jane muttered, "You should be glad I remember their names, it's been a few years since I've seen this movie."

Before Jane could actually hit play, Maura leaned forward, and put her glass down on the coffee table, "I'm ready to talk now."

Jane gestured to the television, "But Crush and Squirt and Nemo and Dory… Really?"

Maura folded her hands on her lap and sat primly on the edge of the couch, "Yes, Jane, Really."

"Alright," Jane said soothingly, holding out her hands towards Maura, "What's up? You got any more family secrets, because I'm not sure we can stand another around here."

Maura shook her head, and Jane was suddenly struck by how lonely the other woman looked, and slid a little closer, until their knees touched, "Maura, whatever's wrong, I'm your best friend, I'm here to help. If the only way I can help is to listen, that that's what I'll do. And if drinking two bottles of wine, and watching movies from ten years ago is helping, then that's what we'll do."

Maura laughed, albeit a bit sadly, and then turned to face Jane, "I feel bad about Wayne. I don't have the ability to help everyone I meet, to help anyone that needs it, but-" she paused and bit her bottom lip before blurting out, "I wish I did."

"Wait, wait, wait," Jane snagged her glass and polished it off, then returned it to the table and turned towards Maura again, "You're upset that you didn't know to help Wayne, or you're upset that he was acting like that because he wanted help but couldn't ask anyone?"

Maura thought for a second, then started twisting her ring as she replied, "A little bit of both, I wish there was something more I could do, Jane. The Isles Foundation is already giving out nearly a hundred scholarships this year, double what we gave out last year, but-"

Jane shook her head, and picked up Maura's wine glass, "Bottoms up, Maur'." Maura took a cautious sip and Jane continued, "Look, you gave out fifty last year, and you alone have nearly doubled that number. You've also helped immeasurably at that MMA thing, which specifically targets at-risk youth, out of your own pocket. Thanks to you the Isles Foundation isn't just targeting the art students your mother wanted to, and you're expanding outwards to help more kids."

Maura shook her head, and swallowed the rest of her wine thickly, before returning the glass to its coaster, "I'm just not sure it's enough, Jane. I feel like I should be doing more."

Jane leaned forward, and hugged her, "C'mere. Maura, I don't think there's physically anything more that you can do for any of those kids. You're opening most of them up to places they'd never get to go, and meeting people they'd never get to meet. You set up the scholarship so that each year there'll be more, and barring your foundation running out of money-"

"I'm not sure that can happen, Jane," Maura murmured into Jane's neck, "My parents set it up fairly well, they're rich as Croesus, and now the foundation is as well."

"Whatever," Jane leaned back with Maura still snuggled in under her arm, "I'm not sure who Croesus is, but he sounds Greek or something. And either way, the scholarship can basically run itself, and expand as much as it can per year. You can only do so much Maura, before you run yourself ragged."

Maura made a sound, trying to protest, even as Jane leaned away for a second and grabbed the controller, "No, we're going to sit here and watch Finding Nemo now, and you're going to fall asleep halfway through, and then I'm going to fall asleep and in seven hours our alarms will go off and we'll wish we were ten years younger."

Jane clicked play on the controller, "Now come meet Marlin, the clown fish."

Maura was silent for a moment, "Really, Jane, Marlin? The name-"  
J

ane laughed and leaned back again, one arm loosely around Maura, "Maura you're my best friend, but if you diss Finding Nemo I will tell my mother you didn't like her lasagna."

Maura gasped, and pinched Jane's arm, "You better not."

Jane tightened her fingers on Maura's arm, "Then be quiet and watch the movie with me."

So she did.


End file.
